1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate to a porous membrane, an electrolyte membrane including the porous membrane, methods of manufacturing the porous membrane and the electrolyte membranes, and a fuel cell including at least one of the porous membrane and the electrolyte membrane.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fuel cells are a future source of clean energy that is an alternative to fossil energy, and have high output density and high energy conversion efficiency, which means fuel cells are applicable in a vast range of fields such as in pollution-free vehicles, domestic power generating systems, and mobile electronic appliances such as mobile communication devices, medical equipment, and various devices for military and aerospace uses.
A fuel cell includes a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte membrane disposed between the cathode and the anode. In the anode, to which fuel gas is supplied, oxidation of the fuel gas takes place. In the cathode, to which oxygen is supplied, a reduction reaction of oxygen occurs. Electrons generated from the cathode and anode reactions generate electricity, and collaterally generate heat and moisture.
A high-temperature fuel cell mostly uses phosphoric acid as an electrolyte. Thus, such a system needs an electrolyte membrane that is able to absorb a sufficient amount of phosphoric acid and withhold it from being drawn out of the electrolyte membrane, and a system that has high durability. However, electrolyte membranes known so far are not satisfactory in terms of durability and ionic conductivity to offer a fuel cell providing sufficient efficiency. Therefore, improvement in this regard is still necessary.